VeAhavta - News Archive 3

VeAhavta’s Fifth Medical Team Prepares to Depart
(Posted: February 3, 2005, 3:00 p.m., PST)

VeAhavta’s fifth Medical Team is preparing to depart for the Grace Care Center from Ann Arbor, Michigan. The team, which will be led by Dr. Naresh Gunaratnam, departs on February 18 and will return on March 6. Other team members are: Gina Amalfitano, M.D.; Mohammad Nadeemullah, M.D.; Bonnie Jean Sowa, M.D.; Denise Bennett, R.N.; Parthenia Renee Anders, R.N.; Kalpa Thuraisamy, M.D.; Sue-Anne West, a social worker; Cheryl Huckins, M.D.; and Lynn Heland, Esq. (who says that doctors and lawyers don’t mix!).

The team will be assisting with various programs at Trincomalee District Hospital, but their main focus will be the further development of Mercy Home, our 100-bed elderly care facility at the Grace Care Center that we hope to open sometime in May of this year, including equipping the facility, interviewing and training staff and developing operational protocols and procedures.

Our special thanks to all members of the team for giving or their time, money and expertise to provide assistance to our neighbors in Sri Lanka. Our thoughts and prayers will be with you.

Our special thanks also to all of our amazing volunteers who have, once again, helped iron-out all of the travel details for the team, particularly Ranmalee Perera and Harshini Maddox.

VeAhavta President Prepares to Depart for Sri Lanka
(Posted: February 3, 2005, 3:00 p.m., PST)

VeAhavta president Eric Parkinson will be heading for Sri Lanka on February 14 and will stay through February 26. In addition to giving each of the Grace Home and Grace Daycare children a huge hug, Eric will be assessing the damage and repairs to the Grace Care Center, evaluating another orphanage located near the Care Center that has asked for VeAhavta’s assistance and investigating the viability of a new “boat rental” program for the surviving residents of the Alles Gardens IDP camp that was located adjacent to the Care Center. Eric will also be distributing the “Care Kits” that were assembled and donated by the students of Bellevue-Santa Fe Charter School in San Luis Obispo, California.

A very special thank you to Rahim Junna (the “Man with the Golden Heart”) of Singapore Airlines for the tremendous amount of work he has done to assist VeAhavta with making all of the air travel arrangements for our relief teams. We could not have had our teams on the ground so fast had it not been for Rahim’s efforts; he has truly been a blessing to many. Thank you, dear brother. God bless you for your love for others!

And a very special thank you as well to Singapore Airlines (the “Airline with the Golden Heart”) for giving our teams a 50% discount on all airfare and for donating 5 roundtrip tickets to the members of our relief teams, including Eric’s ticket.

Rev. Jeyanesan's Efforts Attract Attention of Mercy Corps
(Posted: January 29, 2005, 2:15 p.m., PST)

Mercy Corps, an international group of humanitarian agencies that alleviates suffering, poverty, and oppression by helping more than six million people each year build secure, productive, and just communities, has written a brief article about Rev. Jeyanesan's relief work in Sri Lanka. Here is an excerpt from the article:

"In the mosque camps, the religious leaders are busy compiling demographics, and coordinating – to the best of their abilities – with the aid agencies. The Church is feverishly active as well. At the St. John’s Tsunami Relief and Rehabilitation Center in Batticaloa, an Episcopal Reverend known as “Father J” (short for Jeyanesan) is spearheading a multi-level effort that includes orphanages, feeding centers, vocational training, and emergency relief supplies. (The popular Reverend was already immersed in refugee work, providing for families displaced by the civil war, when the tsunami struck. Trained at the Hebrew University in Jerusalem, Father J’s commitment to spiritual integration is immediately obvious; St. John’s is the first church I’ve seen with a Jewish mezuzah on its doorway.)"

You may see the full article here.

Our thanks to VeAhavta volunteer Colin Lewis for bringing the article to our attention.

Rev. Jeyanesan Issues Fifth Report Regarding Tsunami Disaster & Relief Efforts
(Posted: January 29, 2005, 1:30 p.m., PST)

Rev. Jeyanesan has authored a fifth report summarizing the tsunami disaster and the relief efforts conducted so far. You may view the report here in either HTML or in PDF format (requires Adobe® Acrobat® Reader®).

Dr. Justin Yax Continues VeAhavta Medical Relief Efforts
(Posted: January 29, 2005, 1:30 p.m., PST)

Dr. Justin Yax, the leader of VeAhavta's fourth Medical Team is continuing our medical relief efforts with the assistance of Dr. Daniel Grossman, Dr. Frederick Auerbach of Los Angeles (who is also a member of the GHAP team) and IMC, one of our partner organizations in Sri Lanka.

Dr. Yax reports that the emergency situation in the Trincomalee area has passed and that the team is focusing more and more on providing medical relief for chronic health conditions, providing training for Sri Lankan physicians and rebuilding the healthcare infrastructure. Dr. Yax is also continuing to operate Mercy Mobile Clinic with the very capable assistance of Mr. Hiram Labrooy, the Administrator of the program, in villages and IDP camps in the Trincomalee area. Last week, Mercy Mobile extended its services into the predominantly Sinhalese village of Vilgam Vihara.

Our very special thanks to Dr. Yax, Dr. Grossman, Dr. Auerbach and all of the other professionals who are doing so much to help our neighbors in Sri Lanka. Please

Special thanks also to everyone for your prayers and support throughout this difficult and traumatic ordeal. Without your help, we could not be providing the services we are to our neighbors in Sri Lanka.

Professional Photographer, Dang Ngo, Capures Photos of VeAhavta Medical Teams at Work
(Posted: January 29, 2005, 1:30 p.m., PST)

A highly-regarded professional photographer from Los Angeles named Dang Ngo has taken several photographs of the VeAhavta Medical Teams at work in Sri Lanka. You may see the photos on Mr. Ngo's website along with many of his other amazing images.

Children From Bellevue-Santa Fe Charter School, San Luis Obispo, Assemble Care Kits and Raise $593 For Tsunami Relief
(Posted: January 25, 2005, 3:45 p.m., PST)

We are very pleased to report that the students of Bellevue-Santa Fe Charter School in San Luis Obispo, California, have assembled “Care Kits” and raised a total of $593 for tsunami victims in Sri Lanka.

The Care Kits and the funds were presented to VeAhavta president Eric Parkinson and VeAhavta’s Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Rushdi Abdul-Cader, by the school principal Mr. Brian Getz and kindergarten teacher Kathy Foster during an assembly at the school this morning.

With the assistance of the school staff and Dr. Nisha Abdul-Cader, a local pediatrician and spouse of Dr. Rushdi Abdul-Cader, the children of the school collected and assembled into small backpacks approximately 100 age and gender-appropriate Care Kits containing, among other things, clothing, toiletries, paper and colored pencils. VeAhavta will deliver the kits to the Grace Care Center for distribution sometime within the next 30 days.

For the fundraising, the students collected change in coffee cans located at different places around the school raising a total of $593.

Our special thanks to the staff and students of Bellevue-Santa Fe Charter School and to Dr. Nisha Abdul-Cader for their kindness. The children of Grace Home and Grace Daycare will be deeply touched by your kindness. Your love for our children in Sri Lanka sets a wonderful example for us all! Thank you so much.

Bellevue-Santa Fe Charter School students along with Principal Brian Getz (center) and kindergarten teacher Kathy Foster (just left of the flag) during the presentation conducted at the school this morning (some of the blue and red Care Kit backpacks can be seen behind Mr. Getz and behind students to the right)

Students From Lewis Middle School, Paso Robles, California, Raise $3,346.58 for Tsunami Relief
(Posted: January 21, 2004, 3:45 p.m., PST)

Once again, an amazing group of children have pitched in to help us with our tsunami relief efforts. The children of Lewis Middle School in Paso Robles, California, have raised $3,346.58 for tsunami relief. The students presented a check for VeAhavta today to Eric Parkinson, VeAhavta’s founder and president, at the school.

The students also expressed an interest in increasing their involvement with the children of the Grace Care Center by sending them letters, photos, drawings and paintings.

We extend our very special thanks to the children of Lewis Middle School. Your kindness and thoughtfulness toward others is inspirational!

Lewis Middle School students

View From the Beach in Front of the Grace Care Center
(Posted: January 19, 2005, 8:45 p.m., PST)

We have received a 360 degree panoramic photo from the beach in front of the Grace Care Center. See it here. The Care Center is located behind the wall of trees (to the left of the palm tree with the green fishing nets at the trunk).

To the right of the same palm tree is the barren beach that used to be the Alles Gardens IDP camp.

New Law Encourages Tsunami Relief Contributions
(Posted: January 18, 2005, 11:00 p.m., PST)

The Internal Revenue Service alerted taxpayers who itemize deductions that they may claim on their 2004 tax returns charitable donations made during January 2005 for relief of the victims of the Indian Ocean Tsunami.

The new law enacted on January 7 allows these donations to be deducted as if they were made on December 31, 2004.

“There are no extra forms to fill out or any additional burdens for taxpayers,” said IRS Commissioner Mark W. Everson. “As long as you send your check by the end of the month, the donation will be treated just like it was still 2004.”

The new law only allows for cash contributions. The contributions must be made specifically for the relief of victims in areas affected by the December 26, 2004, tsunami in the Indian Ocean. The new law gives taxpayers the option of deducting the contributions on either their 2004 or 2005 returns, but not both.

To find out more about this new law, click here.

If you would like to support our relief efforts in Sri Lanka and help us to rebuild the Grace Care Center, please donate on-line or by mail to our "Sri Lanka Disaster Relief Fund," or contact us to volunteer. Thank you for your support!

Annual “Third World Clerics” Speaking Tour Cancelled in Wake of Tsunami
(Posted: January 18, 2005, 11:00 p.m., PST)

VeAhavta seeks to fulfill its charitable purpose “…to promoting peace, understanding and mutual respect among people of different religions through education” through, among other programs, its “Third World Clerics” speaking tours, which have been conducted each year in February and March since 2001. Through these speaking engagements, we have helped encourage North Americans to offer a hand of loving kindness to our domestic and overseas neighbors.

However, in light of the tsunami disaster, VeAhavta has decided to cancel its “Third World Clerics” tour for 2005. God-willing, we will resume the program in 2006.

Rev. Jeyanesan Issues Fourth Report Regarding Tsunami Disaster & Relief Efforts
(Posted: January 18, 2005, 10:50 a.m., PST)

Rev. Jeyanesan has authored a fourth report summarizing the tsunami disaster and the relief efforts conducted so far. You may view the report here in either HTML or in PDF format (requires Adobe® Acrobat® Reader®).

St. Joseph Mercy Hospital Bake Sale Raises Over $2,000 for Tsunami Relief
(Posted: January 16, 2005, 5:30 p.m., PST)

The endoscopy staff of St. Joseph Mercy Hospital in Ann Arbor, Michigan, working with Dr. Naresh Gunaratnam, held a bake sale at the hospital with goods they all baked. Their goal was to raise $200, but thanks to the generous donations of the hospital staff over $2,000 was raised. A very special thank you to the endoscopy staff for organizing the event and to the hospital staff for their generous donations.

We are also pleased to report that numerous members of the hospital staff (doctors, nurses, and others) have volunteered to travel to Sri Lanka to help in the relief efforts and to complete the development of Mercy Home so that it can be opened as soon as possible. We are in the process of putting together two teams that will be traveling to Sri Lanka in February and March. Thank you all so much!

National Christian Foundation Donates $20,000 to Tsunami Relief
(Posted: January 15, 2005, 4:45 p.m., PST)

In response to the tremendous needs of our neighbors in Sri Lanka, we are pleased to announce that a national Christian foundation, which has asked to remain anonymous, has donated $20,000 to our tsunami relief efforts. A very special thank you to this extraordinary foundation for its generous gift!

Alpha Epsilon Pi Fraternity, Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo Chapter, Raises $804.30 For Tsunami Relief
(Posted: January 15, 2005, 4:30 p.m., PST)

The Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo Chapter (Sigma Omega) of Alpha Epsilon Pi, the Jewish Fraternity of North America, has raised and donated to VeAhavta a total of $804.30 for our tsunami relief efforts in Sri Lanka.

Such acts of benevolence have been the norm rather than the exception for the brothers of this extraordinary fraternity since its inception. Started in 1912 with just 11 men, Alpha Epsilon Pi recently celebrated its 90th anniversary and now has 123 chapters and colonies on its roll and a membership that has grown to over 77,000. The San Luis Obispo Chapter, Sigma Omega, of the fraternity started at Cal Poly in 1969.

Since its beginnings, Alpha Epsilon Pi has consistently developed strong and responsible leaders for the American Jewish community, and has participated in numerous philanthropic projects raising significant funds for several very worthy causes. Alpha Epsilon Pi is a Jewish fraternity, though non-discriminatory and open to all who are willing to espouse its purpose and values. Find out more about this wonderful brotherhood here.

Our special thanks to the wonderful young men of Alpha Epsilon Pi for their time and generosity! Thank you for bringing hope to our neighbors in Sri Lanka.

Dr. Abdul-Cader and Third Medical Team Return Home; Fourth Team Continues Work
(Posted: January 15, 2005, 11:00 a.m., PST)

VeAhavta's Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Rushdi Abdul-Cader, is finally coming home. After working 20-hour days for over 2 weeks, the leader of our medical relief teams is understandably exhausted and misses his family (wife Nisha and children Isa, Jibreel and Hana) but is very pleased with what has been accomplished and is proud of the other professionals who took part in providing medical relief.

"Rushdi will be coming home a hero," said Eric Parkinson, the president of VeAhavta. "It is a rare that a man will drop everything he is doing, forego over two weeks of income, make the difficult decision to be away from his family, and pay all of his own expenses to go to a foreign country to help others in need. Yet Rushdi did so immediately and without any fanfare. This is nothing new for him. Shortly after medical school, Rushdi and a group of other Muslim physicians founded the UMMA Community Clinic in Los Angeles, which is still providing medical care to the underserved regardless of ability to pay. Because of his commitment to love others Rushdi brought hope to thousands of people in the Trincomalee area, especially to our children at the Grace Care Center who were so happy and relieved to see him. I hope that his acts of loving kindness and his willingness to work shoulder-to-shoulder with people of different races and religions will cause others to rethink their understanding of Islam. The Islam I have come to see through Rushdi is based on love for God and love for people; it is nothing like what is portrayed in the media today. Rushdi, his brother Rumi and all of the other Muslim physicians who participated in our medical relief efforts have been a blessing to many. I thank God for them all."

Our third Medical Team is returning home as well. We extend our heartfelt thanks to Dr. Rumi Abdul Cader, Dr. Altaf Kazi, Asif Kazi, Dr. Rahmi Mowjood and Dr. Mahmoud Traina. (Dr. Kadirawel Iswara has chosen to remain and continue working for another week.) Please pray for the safe return of our medical teams.

VeAhavta's fourth Medical Team, led by Dr. Justin Yax of Ann Arbor, Michigan, will remain in Sri Lanka to continue the medical relief efforts initiated by Dr. Abdul-Cader.

Thank you so much for your kindness and support. If you would like to support our relief efforts in Sri Lanka and help us to rebuild the Grace Care Center, please donate on-line or by mail to our "Sri Lanka Disaster Relief Fund," or contact us to volunteer.

Los Angeles Daily News Reports on the Work of VeAhavta Medical Teams
(Posted: January 12, 2005, 11:00 a.m., PST)

The Los Angeles Daily Times has written a story about the work of VeAhavta's Medical Teams in Trincomalee. See the story here.

Dr. Larry Stock Publishes Daily Log of Medical Team Activities
(Posted: January 12, 2005, 11:00 a.m., PST)

Dr. Larry Stock, a member of VeAhavta's second Medical Team and a Board Member for the Global Health Access Program, has published an on-line journal of the Medical Teams' activities in Trincomalee. You can read the journal here.

Grace Daycare to Resume Jan. 17
(Posted: January 11, 2005, 11:00 p.m., PST)

We are pleased to announce that our Grace Daycare program will resume on Monday, January 17, 2005.

The Daycare program was suspended following the tsunami and we have not yet received a clear report as to how many of our Daycare children survived the disaster. At the time it was suspended, an average of 80-100 children were attending the program, most of whom were living in the "Allles Gardens" IDP (internally displaced persons) camp located adjacent to the Grace Care Center. The huts that were being occupied by approximately 400 families were all swept away by the tsunami, but we have no reliable report as to how many people survived.

Child from Grace Daycare posing for a photo in August, 2004
(Photo courtesy John & Shadi Miller)

Third Medical Team Arrives in Trincomalee; Fourth Team En Route
(Posted: January 10, 2005, 10:45 p.m., PST)

VeAhavta's third Medical Team comprised of Dr. Rumi Abdul Cader, Dr. Altaf Kazi, Asif Kazi, Dr. Rahmi Mowjood, Dr. Mahmoud Traina, and Dr. Kadirawel Iswara , arrived in Trincomalee today to continue our medical relief efforts. Our thanks to each of these amazing professionals for donating their time and efforts to help our neighbors in Sri Lanka, and to their families for sparing their spouses/dads. Please direct your thoughts, prayers and wishes to our Medical Team members who are voluntarily working long days on very little sleep and in very difficult conditions. Please pray for their safety and safe return home.

Some members of our fourth Medical Team are en route to Sri Lanka now; all team members will arrive in Trincomalee between January 11 and January 18. The fourth team is comprised of Dr. Daniel Grossman, Dr. Tom Lee, Dr. Howard Lee, Jane Kiernan, R.N., and Dr. Justin Yax.

In addition to providing medical relief, the third and fourth Medical Teams will be assisting International Medical Corps (IMC) in its transition to begin its relief work with VeAhavta in Trincomalee.

Medical Team Polo Shirts Donated by Promotion Plus of San Luis Obispo
(Posted: January 10, 2005, 10:45 p.m., PST)

Our very special thanks to Ernie Roide, owner of Promotion Plus in San Luis Obispo, for donating 65 specially-designed polo shirts to VeAhavta for the members of our Medical Teams. This is not a first for Ernie and our friends at Promotion Plus; since 2002, they have designed and donated promotional coffee mugs and refrigerator magnets and, last year, donated over 200 speically-desinged t-shirts to the children of Grace Home and Grace Daycare, and 40 specially-designed polo shirts to the Mercy Mobile Clinic staff and volunteers.

Thank you so much, Ernie and Promotion Plus, for your tremendous generosity and kindness toward our children and volunteers!

Final 3 Grace Home Children Found!
(Posted: January 10, 2005, 9:30 a.m., PST)

We just received confirmation that the 3 children from Grace Home who were previously unaccounted for have all been found and that they are all safe, thank God! We were especially concerned about these 3 remaining children because they were all staying with relatives who live in coastal areas of the Batticaloa and Ampara Districts of Sri Lanka – areas that were hit very hard by the tsunami. All 3 children are on their way back to the Care Center and should arrive very soon.

All of the children of Grace Home have, therefore, been accounted for and are safe. Our special thanks to all of the wonderful people who were sent to search for the children: thank you for your persistence. Special thanks also to everyone for your prayers and support throughout this difficult and traumatic ordeal.

San Luis Obispo Children Raise $267.19 Selling Refreshments for Disaster Relief
(Posted: January 7, 2005, 2:15 p.m., PST)

We have received a truly heart-warming story about a group of children from San Luis Obispo, California, who heard about the disaster in Sri Lanka and decided to do something to help.

On January 7, Judy King wrote: "My two sons have been very concerned about the horrible tragedy left by the Tsunami. A few days ago, Jody Belsher forwarded me the link to the VeAhavta web site, and I shared it with the boys. Yesterday, they held a hot chocolate and cookie sale with four friends, with all proceeds benefiting your organization. I'm proud to say that they raised $267.19, which I've just donated online. All the kids were so happy to feel that they were making a positive difference. And we hope that VeAhavta recovers as quickly as possible. Please let your kids know that there are children here that want to help. I've included a picture of the kids, Dan and Bo Crozier, Anthony and Vincent Angelo, and Hannalyn and Kyle Podgurski. Warm Regards, Judy King."

We are passing your wishes, love and photo onto the children of the Care Center. Thank you so much Dan, Bo, Anthony, Vincent, Hannalyn and Kyle. Your donation and your love and concern for our children in Sri Lanka will brighten their hearts and bring smiles to their faces. May your love remind others that there are no "economic problems" in this world – there is plenty for everyone – there are only problems of the heart. In America we have so much. Are we willing to share out of our abundance so that others can have what they need to survive? Thank you for your beautiful example.

Left to right: Kyle Podgurski, Anthony Angelo, Vincent Angelo, Hannayln Podgurski, Dan Crozier and Bo Crozier

Thank you for your continuing donations and prayers. To help us in our emergency relief efforts, please donate on-line to our "Sri Lanka Disaster Relief Fund" or please mail your donations to VeAhavta as soon as possible. If you are a healthcare provider and would like to volunteer to work with our teams in Sri Lanka, please contact us by email and provide us with your name, contact information and a CV. Thank you for helping us to keep hope alive for our neighbors in Sri Lanka.

Rev. Jeyanesan Issues Third Report Regarding Tsunami Disaster & Relief Efforts
(Posted: January 7, 2005, 12:30 a.m., PST)

Rev. Jeyanesan has authored a third report summarizing the tsunami disaster and the relief efforts conducted so far. You may view the report here in either HTML or in PDF format (requires Adobe® Acrobat® Reader®).

VeAhavta Partners With International Medical Corps For Tsunami Relief
(Posted: Jauuary 6, 2005, 11:30 p.m., PST)

VeAhavta is very pleased to announce that it is joining forces with International Medical Corps to deliver emergency health services to tsunami survivors in Sri Lanka's Eastern Province. View the press release here in either HTML or in PDF format (requires Adobe® Acrobat® Reader®).

International Medical Corps (IMC) is a global humanitarian nonprofit organization dedicated to saving lives and relieving suffering through health care training and relief and development programs. Established in 1984 by volunteer doctors and nurses, IMC is a private, voluntary, nonpolitical, nonsectarian organization. Its mission is to improve the quality of life through health interventions and related activities that build local capacity in areas worldwide where few organizations dare to serve. By offering training and health care to local populations and medical assistance to people at highest risk, and with the flexibility to respond rapidly to emergency situations, IMC rehabilitates devastated health care systems and helps bring them back to self-reliance. To read more about IMC, click here.

Our thanks to IMC; its decision to join with us will benefit thousands of our needy neighbors in Sri Lanka.

Associated Press Reports VeAhavta Medical Teams Among First to Respond to Tsunami Disaster
(Posted: January 6, 2005, 11:30 p.m., PST)

The Associated Press is reporting that VeAhavta's Medical Teams, led by Dr. Rushdi Abdul-Cader, "were among the first outside groups on the ground" to respond to the tsunami disaster. View the article here.

VeAhavta's Medical Teams have constructed a temporary field hospital in Kinniya to aid victims of the tsunami. The Kinniya District Hospital was completely flattened during the disaster.

Thank you so much for your kindness and support. If you would like to support our efforts to bring hope to our neighbors in Sri Lanka and help us to rebuild the Grace Care Center, please donate on-line or by mail to our "Sri Lanka Disaster Relief Fund." Thank you.

Photo: VeAhavta's Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Rushdi Abdul-Cader (left), and Dr. Larry Stock (right) intubate a patient in the Kinniya field hospital.

More Children Returning to Care Center
(Posted: January 6, 2005, 11:30 p.m., PST)

The total number of Grace Home children who have returned to the Care Center from holidays now stands at 53. As of this writing, 46 children have been accounted for but have not yet returned and 3 children still have not been accounted for.

Thank you so much for your prayers for the safety of our children.

Adoption of Children From Sri Lanka Prohibited
(Posted: January 6, 2005, 11:30 p.m., PST)

Many kind-hearted people written to us or called inquiring about adopting children from Sri Lanka. VeAhavta does not facilitate the adoption of children. Moreover, according to an article published today by Reuters, "Sri Lanka has banned the adoption of children orphaned by [the] deadly tsunami until further notice after receiving unconfirmed reports that some children were snatched in the wake of the disaster." (See the Reuters article here.)

Grace Home Children Slowly Returning to Care Center
(Posted: January 5, 2005, 11:00 a.m., PST)

We are pleased to report that the Grace Home children are slowly returning to the Care Center from holidays. As of this writing, 41 children are back at the Care Center, 58 children have been accounted for but have not yet returned and 3 children still have not been accounted for. We are, of course, continuing our attempts to locate the 3 unaccounted for children and will post a new report as soon as we receive any new information.

Children From Florida Raise $35.00+ with Lemonade Stand!
(Posted: January 4, 2005, 8:00 p.m., PST)

In one of the most moving messages we have received from those desiring to help so far, we received the following email today:

My children (7 and 5) held a lemonade sale for tsunami relief this weekend and raised $35. Many people are matching what they raised and the newspapers are doing a story about what they have done this week and we expect more people will match them as well.

We would like to give the money raised to the orphans to help rebuild the home and help with your ministry. This way my children can see how what they have done is helping and they can keep in touch!

As we recieve the checks we will give on line.
God bless you all and those affected!

From all of us here and all of our dear ones in Sri Lanka, thank you from the bottom of our hearts! I am certain that was the sweetest lemonade anyone has had in a long long time. :)

VeAhavta Medical Teams Establish Field Hospital in Kinniya
(Posted: January 4, 2005, 1:00 a.m., PST)

After assessing the situation in the Trincomalee area and meeting with local government officials, the 8 members of the first two VeAhavta Medical Teams, under the leadership of Dr. Rushdi Abdul-Cader, have designed and are currently implementing a medical relief program that encompasses the following 3 elements:

Maintaining and supporting Mercy Mobile Clinic (MMC), which has served over 4,000 patients since it started in August 2004. MMC will continue to be used to provide care to people living in the outlying areas of Kinniya, Mahama, Poovansanthevu, Alankerny and Ailayadi.

Providing emergency medical care to people surviving in IDP (internally displaced persons) camps in and around the Trincomalee District through a second MMC.

Establishing and administering the “Kinniya Emergency Transitional Hospital Program” near the site of the former Kinniya Hospital, which was completely destroyed in the tsunami. VeAhavta’s physicians will be rehabilitating, equipping and training the local physicians and staff at the temporary hospital. Our emergency physicians will be staffing the hospital alongside local doctors and training the local house officers in the hospital in evidence-based emergency medicine. They will be relieving local doctors by covering night shifts and allowing them a breather after the recent disaster which has kept them working without sleep for days. Training seminars will be conducted covering everything from Pediatric Emergency Airway Management and Advanced Traumatic Life Support to Field Management of Respiratory Emergencies.

Please direct your thoughts, prayers and wishes to our Medical Team members who are voluntarily working long days on very little sleep and in very difficult conditions.

Maristalla Michael (14 years old)

We are not yet able to account for the 3 remaining Grace Home children who were away from the Center during the holidays. We are, however, doing all we can to locate them and are hoping for a good report very soon.

Unfortunately, we still have not received a reliable report as to the number of people from the Alles Gardens IDP camp who survived the tsunami.

We have received a promising, albeit somewhat guarded, report from our engineer, Mr. Rajendra, that the buildings at the Grace Care Center are still structurally sound. Some further testing may still be required, however. Fortunately, the Grace Vocational Training Center escaped any damage. Repairs efforts, focusing first on restoring the children’s rooms and furnishings, are proceeding as rapidly as conditions will permit. Security around the Care Center remains good and our children remain safe.

Alissa Sears and her sister, Sarah Sears, left this afternoon for Sri Lanka and are expected to arrive on January 5. Alissa and Sarah will provide logistical support for the VeAhavta Medical Teams from Colombo and in Trincomalee.

VeAhavta is preparing to send 2 additional Medical Teams (12 more doctors and 1 nurse) to Sri Lanka in January, and 1 additional team in February.

Due to the enormity of the disaster, our Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Abdul-Cader, has decided to extend his stay in Sri Lanka for an undetermined amount of time.

Thank you for your continuing donations and prayers. To help us in our emergency relief efforts, please donate on-line to our "Sri Lanka Disaster Relief Fund" or please mail your donations to VeAhavta as soon as possible. Fully 98-99 cents of every dollar donated will go directly towards providing tangible relief to our neighbors in Sri Lanka. If you are a healthcare provider and would like to volunteer to work with our teams in Sri Lanka, please contact us by email and provide us with your name, contact information and a CV. Thank you for helping us to keep hope alive for our neighbors in Sri Lanka.

Medical Team 1 Arrives in Trincomalee After Meeting With Sri Lankan Minister of Health
(Posted: January 2, 2005, 5:45 p.m., PST)

VeAhavta's first Medical Team – consisting of our Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Rushdi Abdul-Cader, and Dr. Larry Stock – has arrived at the Grace Care Center in Trincomalee. They first met with the Sri Lankan Minister of Health in Colombo (the first American physicians to do so) along with other government officials and then traveled to Trinco to set up a base of operations at the Care Center. They were met at the Care Center by Rev. Jeyanesan traveling from Batticaloa.

After arriving at the Care Center, the team spent the rest of the day and the evening evaluating medical needs and the existing medical facilities in Trincomalee town and in the town of Kinniya (located approximately 40 km. from the Care Center). The team discovered that the Trincomalee Hospital (located less than 10 km. from the Care Center) has been badly damaged and that the Kinniya Hospital has been completely destroyed. The team then met with local government health officials and with Brenda Barrett of USAID (who is now back in Trincomalee) to obtain further information for their assessment.

Dr. Abdul-Cader reported that the children at the Care Center are fine and that they were very happy and reassured to see him and Dr. Stock. (Dr. Abdul-Cader was last at the Care Center in August, 2004, to set up VeAhavta’s Mercy Mobile Clinic.)

The second Medical Team has arrived in Sri Lanka and is en route to Trincomalee as of this writing. The teams will then meet and decide on a course of action.

A report regarding the damage to the Care Center buildings is expected tomorrow from Mr. R.A. Rajendra, our building engineer in Trincomalee.

It's Down to Just 3!
(Posted: Jan. 1, 2004, 6:15 p.m., PST)

We just received word that 6 more of the children of the Grace Care Center have been contacted and are safe. This brings the number of children who are unaccounted for down to just 3.

Thank you for your prayers and support!

Only 9 Children Unaccounted For; Relief Efforts Continue
(Posted: Jan. 1, 2005, 12:30 p.m., PST)

We are thrilled to announce that all but 9 children from the Grace Care Center orphanage have been accounted for! Since the time of our last report, 5 more children have been contacted and are safe.

In the meantime, all of our relief efforts are proceeding well. Our Medical Team #2 arrives in Colombo on January 3, at 12:30 a.m. After a brief nap in Colombo, they will immediately proceed to Trincomalee to meet with Medical Team #1, where our Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Rushdi Abdul-Cader, is leading our relief efforts.

Rev. Jeyanesan has provided a second report regarding the relief efforts. You may view the report here in either HTML or in PDF format (requires Adobe® Acrobat® Reader®).


Students from St. John’s Vocational Training Center in Batticaloa with Mr. R.L. David (center, green shirt), the Principal of the Center	Rev. Jeyanesan and students from St. John’s Vocational Training Center in Batticaloa assisting with the removal of bodies

Our very special thanks to Gillian Christie of Christie Communications in Santa Barbara, California, for all of the time and effort that she and other members of her firm have generously donated to our relief efforts. Ms. Christie is now in charge of all media contacts; members of the media are kindly requested to contact her at 805-969-3744 for reports, information and interviews. Thank you.

Special thanks also to our Los Angeles volunteers, Rahim Junna and Harshini Maddox, who are tirelessly and patiently coordinating all of the travel arrangements for our relief teams. If you are a medical professional interested in volunteering, please contact Harshini by email and provide her with your name, contact information and a CV. Thank you so much.

If you would like to support our volunteer Medical Teams in their courageous relief efforts and help us to rebuild the Grace Care Center, please donate on-line or by mail to our "Sri Lanka Disaster Relief Fund," or contact us to volunteer. Thank you so much for your kindness and support.


Ramya Kachandran (7 years old)

The Hope Grows: All But 14 Grace Home Children Are Accounted For!
(Posted: December 30, 2004, 11:00 p.m., PST)

We can now confirm that we have made contact with all but 14 of the 102 children of Grace Home in Trincomalee. The rest of the children are not due to return to the Care Center from holidays until next week. Nonetheless, we are making attempts to confirm that they are safe and will post updates as they come in. Thank you for your prayers, wishes and other support!

First Medical Team En Route; Second Team to Depart Dec. 31
(Posted: December 30, 2004, 10:30 p.m., PST)

The first VeAhavta Medical Team, consisting of Dr. Rushdi Abdul-Cader and Dr. Larry Stock, is en route to Sri Lanka and will arrive in Colombo at 8:00 p.m., Sri Lanka time, on December 31. The second Medical Team - consisting of Dr. Loren Rauch, Dr. Steven Reichel, Dr. Peter Brown, Dr. Pamela DeSilva and Dr. Udaya DeSilva - are scheduled to depart from Los Angeles on Friday, December 31, at 11:30 p.m., PST. Our thanks to each of these amazing professionals for donating their time and efforts to help our neighbors in Sri Lanka, and to their families for sparing their spouses/dads/moms for 10 days during the holidays.

A very special thank you also to Singapore Airlines and Malaysia Airlines for providing VeAhavta with 3 free roundtrip airline tickets to Sri Lanka and 50% off all other tickets for the members of our Medical Teams, and to all of our hard-working volunteers for their administrative and logistical support.

Rev. Jeyanesan Issues First Comprehensive Report Regarding Tsunami Disaster and Relief Efforts
(Posted December 30, 2004, 7:30 a.m., PST)

Rev. Jeyanesan has authored a comprehensive report summarizing the tsunami disaster and the relief efforts conducted so far. You may view the report here in either HTML or in PDF format (requires Adobe® Acrobat® Reader®).

A Sign of Hope
(Posted December 29, 2004, 1:00 a.m., PST)

R.O. Denizia, the administrator of the Grace Care Center has arrived safely in Trincomalee. She has indicated in an email that contacts have been made, either directly or indirectly, with most of the children who were away from the Care Center during the holiday and that they are safe. Many of the children are apparently staying away from Trincomalee out of fear that another tsunami will strike.

We still do not have any definative word on the number of people from the Alles Gardens IDP camp who have survived the disaster.

Dr. Rushdi Abdul-Cader and Dr. Larry Stock have left for Sri Lanka and will arrive in Colombo on December 31. We will receive regular reports from them after their arrival, and will post the reports to this page. Whatever your faith, please pray for the safety and success of our medical teams.

We have received a donation of a satellite telephone and 1,000 minutes of airtime from a generous donor from Los Olivos, California, and will be sending the phone to Sri Lanka with the second medical team. Our special thanks to the donor for his generosity. We would like to send one more telephone with the second or third medical team, so please help us to fill this need. Effective communications in Sri Lanka will be critical to our relief efforts.

Our thanks also to everyone who has called or emailed us offerring to help or offering encouragement. We have been overwhelmed with your support. Please forgive us if we are not able to reply immediately.

Brenda Barrett Found
(Posted December 29, 2004, 8:00 a.m., PST)

We are pleased to report that Brenda Barrett has been found and is okay. She was out of the country when the disaster occurred and will be returning to Sri Lanka shortly. Our thanks to Steven Boothe for his persistence in tracking her down.

Latest News From Sri Lanka
(Posted December 29, 2004, 1:30 a.m., PST)

Eric Parkinson spoke with Rev. Jeyanesan this evening and later received an email from him; here is what he had to report:

Power lines and telephone lines in Batticaloa and Trincomalee have been down in various places and service has been intermittent. The situation seems to be improving, however.
The first tsunami struck just after 9:30 a.m. on Sunday, December 26. Four additional waves struck within 45 minutes. In some areas, the waves were 30 to 40 feet high. Almost all the villages in the Northern and Eastern coastal belt have been washed away and destroyed. Many thousands people have been killed, wounded or are missing. The true numbers are not known yet.
As of the morning of December 29, the Sri Lankan government has estimated that 27,000 people have been killed. Jeyanesan is confident that the number of dead will eventually reach 40,000. In Batticaloa and Ampara districts alone more than 10,000 people have been killed. Many thousands of bodies are likely located under rubble, trapped under destroyed buildings, buried under the sand or were washed out to sea.
The Districts of Batticaloa and Trincomalee, like the rest of the affected areas, are in "funeral mode - every family either has lost their home or lost someone from their family."
The immediate needs are food, safe drinking water, clothing, shelter, medical care and basic cooking utensils.
The Grace Care Center in Trincomalee was affected very badly. Fortunately, however, none of our staff or children who were there has been lost. But many children went to stay with relatives for a week during the holidays; therefore, we do not yet know if they are okay. Most of the furniture, beds, mattresses, linens and clothes at the Center were swept away by the water, and the buildings are partly damaged. Our engineer and contractor are assessing the damage and should report to us within 24 hours.
"The Alles Gardens IDP camp no longer exists; the entire settlement was swept away by the waves. Some people were able to escape by foot but others – mostly women and children – were killed. We do not yet have a report on the number of survivors."
For the last 2 nights, thieves have been attempting to loot what little is left at the Care Center. We have hired 4 local men as security guards. Additionally, our building contractor, Mr. Fernando, and Mercy Mobile Clinic administrator, Hiram Labrooy, are also staying at the Care Center property to assure the security of the children and staff.
The CSI facilities in Rallodai as well as the daycare center building on Vaharai road in Batticaloa have been completely destroyed.
Herman’s Home in Periyaneelavanai has been completely destroyed and is now covered by roughly six feet of sand. Even the coconut plants and Mango trees have been uprooted. Six people, including Rev. Selvantha's wife and 11-month-old son, were washed away. The bodies, buried under the sand, have not yet been recovered although efforts to do so are continuing.
Rev. Jeyanesan, with the help of St. John’s Vocational Training School students, will be spending the day recovering and burying decomposed bodies in the Batticaloa area.
Volunteers working with Rev. Jeyanesan are distributing food, clothing and utensils to families in isolated areas. Many villages are still not reachable. Most of the roads are still not navigable.
Clean water is becoming scarce. Attempts are being made to clean a few wells and chlorinate them.
Rev. Jeyanesan is hoping to travel to the Grace Care Center in Trinco either this evening (Dec. 29) or tomorrow morning (Dec. 30).
"We are anxiously awaiting the arrival of the VeAhavta Medical Teams and Relief Teams and will do all that we can to again mobilize Mercy Mobile Clinic to reach the less fortunate who need medical care. We are praying for their safe travel and speedy arrival."
"Thank you for all of your help and concern for us. Your love and prayers are bringing hope to many. Thank you. Please do continue to pray for us."

We still have no report as to the whereabouts of Brenda Barrett, our friend with the USAID office in Trincomalee, but we have 2 volunteers working to locate her. If anyone reading this has any connections with USAID or the U.S. State Department, please contact Eric Parkinson as soon as possible so that we can attempt to find out if Brenda is okay.

R.O. Denizia, the administrator of the Grace Care Center, was in Batticaloa on holiday when the disaster struck. She has been located and is okay. She is now attempting to return to Trincomalee.

The first 2 members of our Medical Team -- Dr. Rushdi Abdul-Cader (Chief Medical Officer) and Dr. Larry Stock -- are leaving for Sri Lanka this evening. They will conduct an initial medical assessment, restart Mercy Mobile Clinic and start a second mobile clinic. Funding for the second mobile clinic has been generously donated by our brothers from the Islamic Center of San Luis Obispo. Our heartfelt thanks for their tremendous generosity! A second Medical Team and a third team led by Alissa Sears will depart within a week.

In light of the tremendous problems with communications in Sri Lanka at the present time, we are asking for donations or loans of at least 2 satellite telephones for the relief teams to take with them on their trips. This will enable the teams to communicate with each other and with our volunteers in the U.S. If anyone is able to donate or lend us any satellite telephones, please contact Eric Parkinson as soon as possible. Thank you.

Thank you for your donations and prayers. You are helping us to bring hope to our needy neighbors who are struggling to see a light at the end of a very dark tunnel. To help us in our emergency relief efforts, please donate on-line to our "Sri Lanka Disaster Relief Fund" or please mail your donations to VeAhavta as soon as possible. Fully 98-99 cents of every dollar donated will go directly towards providing tangible relief to our neighbors in Sri Lanka.

Special thanks to Carol Roberts, reporter for The Tribune, San Luis Obispo, for her article about the disaster, and to Craig Marshall of SLY96 FM radio in San Luis Obispo for the publicity he has been able to bring to this unfolding disaster and the encouraging response to it.

Photos of the Grace Care Center Taken on December 27, 2004
(Posted December 28, 2004, 2:00 a.m., PST)

We have received several photographs of the Grace Care Center that were taken by Mr. Hiram Labrooy, the administrator of our Mercy Mobile Clinic, on December 27, 2004. The photographs depict widespread damage, but also the hope-filled faces of our children and staff. You may view the photographs here:

Album 1
Album 2
Album 3
Album 4
Album 5

Mr. Labrooy has informed us that the children at the Care Center are presently staying on mats inside the Grace Vocational Training Center building, which was not damaged from the tsunami. The children and staff have sufficient food and water for now. We are moving as quickly as possible to repair the rooms and all other facilities. Our bank in Trincomalee is reportedly open and we will be wiring the first installment of relief funds tomorrow morning.

We are still not able to account for our 72 other children of the Care Center who were with relatives on holiday when the disaster struck. Efforts to locate the children will, of course, continue until each and every child is found; and reports will be issued as each child returns.

Unfortunately, we still do not have a reliable report as to the status of our neighbors in the Allles Gardens IDP camp, and we have no report at all as to the whereabouts of Brenda Barrett, our friend with the USAID office in Trincomalee.

Donations are still coming in, but the needs are staggering. To help us in our emergency relief efforts, please donate on-line to our "Sri Lanka Disaster Relief Fund" or please mail your donations to VeAhavta as soon as possible. Fully 98-99% of every dollar donated will go directly towards providing tangible relief. Thank you all for your generosity, your prayers and your extraordinary efforts to help. The children and staff at the Grace Care Center and at St. John's Center in Batticaloa know that we are standing with them and it is warming their hearts. You are helping us keep hope alive.

Please check back soon for further updates.

Updates Regarding Status of Grace Care Center
(Posted December 27, 2004, 4:00 p.m. PST)

Contact was finally made with Rev. Gnanapragasam at the Care Center very early this morning. All of the children who were at the Care Center when the disaster struck are fine and are back at the property helping to clean-up and rebuild. However, only 30 children are present when the tsunami hit; the remaining 72 were away from the Care Center with relatives on holiday. As of this writing, we do not have a report as to the condition of the other 72 children, but we are making every effort to track them down and will report back as each child is accounted for.

Reports regarding the status of the Alles Garden IDP camp are conflicting: we have received reports that the camp has suffered either severe damage or complete devastation, and another report that at least some of the people in the camp were evacuated before the disaster struck. We are hoping to receive a verified account in the next 24 hours.

We have not been able to make contact with Brenda Barrett or the USAID offices in Sri Lanka, so we have nothing new to report regarding her status.

Many people who have participated in our trips to Sri Lanka will recall Rev. Selvantha, who is the pastor and manager of Herman's Home in Periyaneelavanai (Batticaloa District). Unfortunately, his wife and young child (under a year old) were both killed when the tsunami struck.

VeAhavta is sending a small medical team, led by Dr. Rushdi Abdul-Cader, to Sri Lanka on Wednesday, December 29 to assist with medical needs in Trincomalee. Another team, led by Alissa Sears, will also be departing very soon to help with the relief efforts. Thanks to the efforts of Alissa Sears, our tireless Director of Education and all around amazing person, Direct Relief International of Santa Barbara, California, is donating medical supplies and equipment to VeAhavta for the trip.

Donations have been coming in. To all those who have donated, no matter what the amount, we thank you from the bottom of our hearts. Your generosity will help us save lives and will bring critical relief to our needy neighbors in Sri Lanka during this time of crisis. To help us in our emergency relief efforts, please donate on-line to our "Sri Lanka Disaster Relief Fund" or please mail your donations to VeAhavta. Thank you.

Please check back soon for further updates.

Preliminary Report Regarding People in Alles Gardens IDP Camp
(Posted December 26, 2004; 5:00 p.m. PST)

From Eric Parkinson: “I received an email from Rev. Azariah Soundararah (‘Sounthi’). He is fine, but his report on the Alles Garden IDP camp is not comforting; he writes: ‘The refugees who were living next to our compound have been totally affected, all their huts have been washed away and many refugees have been drowned into the water.’ I am waiting for additional information and will post it when available.”

Tsunami Hits Grace Care Center
(Posted December 26, 2004; 2:00 p.m. PST)

On December 26, 2004, a massive tsunami struck the Grace Care Center in Trincomalee. The tsunami was generated by an 8.9 magnitude earthquake centered off the northeast coast of the island of Sumatra in Indonesia. As of this writing, approximately 3,500 to 4,300 people are feared dead and an estimated 750,000 to 1 million more people have been left homeless in Sri Lanka. (See, Reuters article.)

Eric Parkinson, the president of VeAhavta, was able to contact Rev. Jeyanesan in Batticaloa a few hours after the disaster. Fortunately, all of the children and staff of our Grace Care Center were evacuated before the tsunami hit by Rev. Gnanapragasm in the school bus VeAhavta purchased for the Care Center earlier this year. Rev. Jeyanesan also reported that all of the children and staff at St. John’s orphanage in Batticaloa have been accounted for and are safe.

Many other people have not been so fortunate. For example, as of this writing, we have not received any reliable reports as to the status of our neighbors in the “ Alles Gardens” camp for IDPs (internally displaced persons) located adjacent to the Care Center in Trincomalee. We have also not been able to contact Brenda Barrett of USAID to confirm that she is safe.

Property damage from the disaster has been widespread and our facilities were not spared from it. The buildings at the Care Center have suffered significant damage. Just how much damage is not yet known.

President Chandrika Kumaratunga has declared a national disaster and has appealed for international emergency aid. (See, Bloomberg article.)

VeAhavta is currently collecting funds for emergency relief and we are preparing to send a team to Sri Lanka to aid in the emergency relief efforts. We need your help. Please help us in our emergency relief efforts by giving to our "Sri Lanka Disaster Relief Fund" through our on-line donation page. Alternatively, please mail your donations to VeAhavta. Thank you.

If anyone reading this release receives any more specific information, please let us know as soon as possible. In particular, we are concerned about the people in the Alles Gardens IDP camp and the safety of Brenda Barrett.

We will post further updates as they come in. Thank you for your prayers and support in this time of tragedy.

Alissa Sears Named Director of Education for "Grace Learning Center"
(Posted December 22, 2004)

VeAhavta is pleased to announce the appointment of Ms. Alissa Sears of Santa Barbara, California, as the Director of Education for the "Grace Learning Center" (GLC) in Trincomalee, Sri Lanka. An insightful and well-qualified educator, Alissa developed the Grace Learning Center as a new program for VeAhavta in order to help improve the quality of education for people living in areas affected by the war. The GLC will provide effective and cost-efficient on-going teacher training courses that will be readily available to the Trincomalee community and will empower local teachers to begin to develop their students’ learning potential and individual abilities.

Alissa will be traveling to Sri Lanka in mid-January of 2005 and will remain in Sri Lanka for at least one year in order to start and oversee the GLC.

For more information, please see the Grace Learning Center webpage or contact Alissa by email.

Mercy Home and Mercy Clinic Now Slated for Opening on March 5, 2005
(Posted August 24, 2004)

VeAhavta is pleased to announce that the construction of Mercy Home, the 100-bed elder care facility to be located on the Grace Care Center property, and Mercy Clinic, the medical facilities that will serve the entire population of the Care Center, will be completed by January 15, 2005. The opening of the facility has been tentatively scheduled for March 5, 2005. Please stay posted for further updates.

Opening of Mercy Home and Mercy Clinic, Phase I, Delayed Due to Illness of Project Engineer
(Posted May 24, 2004)

Due to the hospitalization of our Project Engineer and General Contractor, Mr. A. Rajendra, the opening of Mercy Home and Mercy Clinic, Phase I, which were scheduled to open on August 1, 2004, will be delayed. Mr. Rajendra had surgery in Colombo and is still recovering in the hospital. Fortunately, he came through the surgery well and is expected to make a full recovery.

The new date for the opening of Mercy Home and Mercy Clinic, Phase I, will be posted here as soon as it is determined. Aside from the actual opening of the new facilities, all other projects will go forward as planned during the trip to Sri Lanka planned for this July.

Please check back frequently for additional updates. Thank you.

VeAhavta Announces Plan to Develop Ecumenical Center in Trincomalee
(Posted April 29, 2004)

VeAhavta, a nonprofit based on the Central Coast of California, has announced a plan to develop the “House of Peace Ecumenical Center” (“HOPE Center”) on its 7-acre “Grace Care Center” in Trincomalee (Uppuveli), Sri Lanka, which it intends to open on August 1, 2004. HOPE Center will foster interfaith dialog and will serve as a model for peaceful coexistence among people of different religions in the Eastern Province of Sri Lanka.

Sri Lanka is a nation rich in religious diversity. Among her population of approximately 18.5 million, Buddhism, Hinduism, Christianity and Islam are all practiced. Approximately 70 percent of the population is Buddhist, 15 percent Hindu, 8 percent Christian, and 7 percent Muslim. Most analysts who have studied the 20-year-plus civil war in Sri Lanka have concluded that, although religious differences play some role in the conflict, its origins are complex and stem more from ethnic as opposed to religious diversity. Nonetheless, “faith-based violence” and “religious hate crime” seem to be on the rise, and many Sri Lankan government officials are presently giving serious consideration to legislation prohibiting the “unethical conversion” of people from other religions. It could, therefore, be argued that tensions stemming from religious differences are playing a greater role in the conflict today than they did in times past.

According to the organization’s President, Eric Parkinson, a local attorney and a director of the organization since 2001, these concerns prompted the Board of Directors of VeAhavta (a Hebrew verb meaning, “You shall love”) to embark upon the development of the HOPE Center. As Parkinson sees it, “Regardless of how significant a factor religious diversity plays in the war, any solution to the national crisis and armed conflict will depend upon the ability of the parties to articulate a vision of a democratic pluralist social order within which political and other institutions are entrenched that respect the fundamental equality of all the national and ethnic identities and religious traditions, and that provide them with dignity and justice as equal and integral partners of the state. The directors of VeAhavta – and of course our overseas representatives – are well aware of the religious diversity that exists in Sri Lanka, in Trincomalee and, more importantly, at our Grace Care Center; and we are all determined not to allow religious differences to devolve into religious bigotry. We are also desirous of fostering peaceful dialog among people of different religions in the Trincomalee area.”

VeAhavta’s work in Sri Lanka started in October of 2001, when it purchased an abandoned and dilapidated hotel located on a 7-acre parcel on the beach in Trincomalee at a cost of $260,000, originally intending it to serve only as an orphanage for 100 children. Within a year of its purchase, and at a cost of approximately $85,000, the buildings on the property were fully restored and furnished, and the property was transformed into the “ Grace Care Center ,” which officially opened its doors and accepted its first 10 children on August 31, 2002 . The Care Center is now home to 100 children, each of whom is financially supported through donations made by “foster families” in the United States . VeAhavta, in partnership with Rev. S. Jeyanesan of the Church of South India, also provide full-time daycare for an additional 100 children at the Grace Care Center, free vocational training for 90 destitute youth per year, and – in addition to the HOPE Center – are currently constructing “Mercy Home,” a 100-bed residential nursing home facility that will be operated in the tradition of Mother Teresa of Calcutta’s “Missionaries of Charity,” and “Mercy Clinic,” a state-of-the-art medical facility on the property. According to its “Vision Statement,” VeAhavta’s purpose is “to care for others who are in need...regardless of race, religion, creed, nationality or socio-economic status” by, among other things, “providing needy communities with material and human resources such that the people in these communities may meet their basic needs for food, safe drinking water, clothing, adequate shelter and education.”

The 3,600 square foot facility that will serve as HOPE Center will contain a large, open common area to be used for gatherings and meetings and four separate “prayer rooms.” Although the common area will remain free of all religious ornaments and symbols, VeAhavta will invite respected local clerics from the Buddhist, Hindu, Catholic and Muslim faiths to adorn the inside of their prayer rooms in the manner of their choosing and to provide religious instruction in their rooms to the Grace Care Center residents – the 100 orphaned children for whom VeAhavta and the Church of South India have been providing full-time care since 2002, and the 100 elders who will eventually occupy Mercy Home. Bylaws, which each of the clerics will participate in drafting, will govern the use of HOPE Center, and Rev. Jeyanesan – who has managed the Grace Care Center since its opening – will also oversee the operation of the new facility.

“Our aspiration is that the HOPE Center will serve as a model for religious harmony in Sri Lanka and that it will, in some small way, contribute to the recent advancements made toward peace. With the help of some very dedicated and peace-loving individuals, the Grace Care Center will be a place of religious freedom, a place where the adherents of each religion can peacefully co-exist and yet also preserve their own unique traditions and identities,” says Jeyanesan.

As Parkinson states, both he and Jeyanesan are aware of the resistance they may encounter in developing the new facility: “We recognize that, for whatever reasons, some people may not feel comfortable participating in HOPE Center or even contributing funds for its construction. Therefore, our directors have resolved that only those funds specifically designated for ‘HOPE Center’ will be used for the development and maintenance of the facility. VeAhavta will not use any unrestricted funds for HOPE Center. In this way, donors who do not wish to contribute to this new project can be assured that their unrestricted contributions will only be used for VeAhavta’s other programs.”

Further details regarding HOPE Center and VeAhavta’s other programs can be obtained through the organization’s website: www.you-shall-love.org

Raising Awareness and Support for Victims of War, Rev. S. Jeyanesan Tours North America

(Press Release For 2003 Third World Clerics Tour)
(Posted February 5, 2003)

Seeking to raise awareness and support for orphans and widows struggling to survive in the war-torn northern and eastern regions of Sri Lanka, Rev. S. Jeyanesan of the Church of South India, Jaffna Diocese, is touring North America speaking to churches and other groups in California, Indiana, Ohio, Toronto and New York. And he has two orphaned children with him. The tour, which runs from January 29 through February 24, is being sponsored by VeAhavta, a nonprofit charitable organization based in California which provided the funding to purchase and maintain an orphanage for 100 children that opened in Trincomalee on August 31, 2002.

Jeyanesan's message emphasizes four major themes: the unprecedented opportunity brought about by the current peace talks to render effective and urgently needed humanitarian assistance to the victims of war; the critical need for educational programs in the North and East; the need for unity among religious groups and NGO's seeking to provide aid; and the need for Tamil expatriates to become personally involved in the efforts to help. "The suffering children hold the key to the survival of our culture, but without the personal involvement and support of Tamils living abroad we cannot restore or revitalize the institutions that will provide these children with the opportunities they must have to rebuild our nation," said Jeyanesan.

"It is time to attend to the suffering. We must set aside our religious and ideological differences, recognize that every person is precious in the eyes of God and offer a hand of loving kindness to those who are in need," he added. Accompanying him on this tour are two children from an orphanage located in Batticaloa. Jeyanesan's purpose in touring with the children is two-fold: "It is important for people living outside Sri Lanka to see that the children who are suffering are not merely statistics or photographs but real children; like our own children, they have dreams and aspirations in life and they long to laugh and to play. If others will not come to Sri Lanka to witness the suffering of these children, then I will bring the children to them. People must also see that it is possible to provide these children with the opportunities they must have. If it were not for the care they are receiving at the orphanage in Batticaloa, these two children would have little hope for the future."

Born and educated in Jaffna, Rev. Jeyanesan started St. John's Center, Batticaloa, in 1989 as a modest organization through which children and women suffering from the continuing ethnic violence and civil war could be rescued, protected and rehabilitated. At present, Jeyanesan oversees the operations of five orphanages in Batticaloa and the new orphanage which opened in Trincomalee last year, which, all totaled, provide permanent care for approximately 600 orphaned children, regular daycare for an additional 500 children and support for roughly 1,500 widows through "widows empowerment projects" by which no-interest loans are provided for cottage industries and businesses. Jeyanesan also administers programs for feeding "street children" and refugees - programs which help meet some of the needs of hundreds of others.

Jeyanesan and VeAhavta, the charity sponsoring the speaking tour, are planning to purchase additional property in Trincomalee in the coming months in order to expand the services and the facilities that are currently being provided. Such services will include the resettlement of internally displaced persons, a fully-equipped vocational training center similar to the one Jeyanesan helped establish in Batticaloa, an elderly care facility, a boys orphanage and a permanent medical clinic. "Through the organization VeAhavta, we have started a child sponsorship program; at present, 77 children at the care center in Trincomalee are being sponsored by people in the United States," said Jeyanesan.

Freedom for the Prisoners!
(Posted December 14, 2002)

In follow-up to the article, "Freedom for the Prisoners," contained in our newsletter dated October 25, 2002 (Vol. I, Issue 3), we are pleased to announce that on December 10, 2002, 16 of the 18 political prisoners held in the Batticaloa Prison were released. The attorney we have retained in Sri Lanka, the Honorable Chandran Chiniah, has informed us that the last two prisoners are awaiting a hearing and should be released soon. Our thanks to all who assisted us in securing the release of these neighbors of ours. UPDATE (April 16, 2003) - An e-mail received yesterday from our attorney, Mr. Chinniah, has confirmed the release of the 17th prisoner from the Batticaloa Prison! Only one prisoner remains in custody and he is scheduled for a hearing later this month. Further updates will be posted as they are received. Thank you for your prayers and support. FINAL UPDATE (July 14, 2003) - the last prisoner was released from the Batticaloa Prison. Thank you for your support!